Wednesday, 7 October 2015

get out and vote

Give me a V. V!

Give me an O. O!

Give me a T. T!

Give me an E. E!

What does it spell? It spells, uhhh... Oh yeah, VOTE!!!

BREAKING NEWS... In less than two weeks, Canadian cats and peeps, alike, will be heading out to the polls to vote in our upcoming federal election. That's right, my friends, voting day is Monday October 19th. It's only twelve days away.

What's that Peepers? What? Are you sure? Really? MOUSES!

I have been informed, my friends, that as a cat, I do not get to vote. Again I must say, MOUSES!

Humph! Smacks of specism, that does. SMACKS OF SPECISM, FOR SURE.

To tell you the truth, I had been wondering why I hadn't yet received my voter registration card in the mail.

Peepers, let me see that pamphlet thing from Elections Canada. Paw it over, would you? Hmmm... Uh-huh... Yup, just as I thought... HMMM....

But Peepers, I meet all the necessary qualifications to vote. It says right here that in order to vote in this election I must be a Canadian citizen, be at least eighteen-years-old and be able to prove my identity and my address. I'm all three of those things.

No, Peepers, that's not right. I can't be stopped from voting just because I'm a cat. This here pamphlet says absolutely NOTHING about having to be a peep. MOUSES!

But back to those voting qualifications. Peepers, I was born right here in Canada so that makes me Canadian. In cat years, I'm way more than eighteen. I arrived on your doorstep in 2008 and was already fully grown so that means I'm at least nine-years-old TIMES SEVEN. Do the math, Peepers I'm at least sixty-three. Mouses I'm old. Sixty-three is way older than eighteen even if I don't feel a day over twenty-five. Plus, I can prove my identity and address. As a blogging kitty, I get mail all the time. Sometimes even by courier. And I have prescriptions and stuff from my doctor. Remember when I had the crystals? Do you happen to have those old prescription bottles on paw, Peepers? Oohhh... and I have my vaccination records too. I have a rabies tag around here somewhere... Let me go look.

Okay, I'm back. Couldn't find the old prescription bottles from when I had the crystals but I've got proof of having had my rabies shots. That should prove I am who I am, for sure. Bet most peeps don't have proof of having had their rabies shots. MOUSES!

What do you mean I still can't vote, Peepers? Someone strip me of my Canadian citizenship or something? MOUSES!

Okay, so maybe I don't get to vote. I don't agree with it at all. Who ever heard of not allowing cats to vote? I find this situation to be completely unfair but it is was it is. Looks like I'm just gonna have to live with it... this time. Next election? We'll see.

But at least my peeps get to vote. Yup, they've got their voter registration cards and everything. They have proof of their identity and address, too. They're good to go.

In case you hadn't heard, you need to take more than just your voter registration card when you go to vote. That's right, those registration cards are useful to take. They might even speed up the process a bit but they can't be used to prove your identity or address. No sirree, you need to take more than just that card with you, when you go to vote. Did you all know about that?

In order to vote this time around, you need to show one piece of ID with your name, address and picture like a driver's license. If you don't have that, you need to show two pieces of ID with your name and one must have your current address. A bank statement will work. Or a utility bill. Or a student ID. Or a health card or a label on a prescription container or a debit card or even a library card. There's quite a list of acceptable forms of identification and the full list can be obtained from Elections Canada. And if none of your ID shows your current address, you can take an oath. You still need two pieces of ID with your name and you'll need someone in the same polling division, as you, to attest to your address.

Sounds a little complicated but really, it's worth it, for sure. We all... I mean, you peeps all have one vote and each and every one of you should use it.

I heard my peeps say they're not waiting until the 19th to vote. That's right, you don't have to wait! Advance polls will be open from Friday October 9th to Monday October 12th, inclusive, right across the land. Your voter registration cards will tell you exactly where those advance polls are. Voting in an advance poll will help you avoid any last-minute surprises, if you know what I mean.

And speaking of those registration cards, CHECK 'EM NOW. Some were mailed out with mistakes, I have heard. Is your name spelled correctly? Is the address right? Is your polling station within a reasonable distance and not several hundred miles away? If there are any mistakes at all, contact Elections Canada immediately. And if you're having trouble navigating the site, call up one of the local candidates. They'll help guide you through the process to ensure you're correctly registered, for sure.

You know, there are peeps in this world who would die to have the right to vote. Peeps have died for the right to vote. Literally died. Voting is such an important thing to do.

What's that? You don't know for whom you should vote? WHAT? That's not an excuse to not vote. That's not an excuse at all. That's a reason to get out there and educate yourself so that you do know for whom to vote. As Canadians, it's our responsibility to educate ourselves for voting, you see.

What did you say? You don't think your vote will count? You don't think your vote matters? NONSENSE. Every vote matters and every vote counts. And in this election, with the three major political parties in such a tight race, each and every vote is absolutely essential.

Have you ever heard that saying? The one about an ocean being made up of tiny drops of water. Think of your vote as a drop of water. Your drop is equally as important as the next drop and the next drop and the next one after that. And without all of those drops, there is no ocean. Each drop is equally important. Every drop counts. Every one matters.

As Canadians, peeps each have one vote. Each vote matters. EVERY VOTE COUNTS. Canadians don't just have a right to vote; they have a responsibility. DEMOCRACY IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE. MOUSES!

Seriously. Used to be way easier to vote. All you needed was that registration card. But then someone in the government decided that peeps were stealing other peeps cards, en masse, even there was absolutely no proof ever presented that such a thing was happening and now for this election, it's way harder for lots of peeps to vote. MOUSES!

Voting is very important and sadly, not enough humans do it in the U.S. And there's a thing called "gerrymandering" which makes it harder for some people's votes to count. Too bad they don't let cats get involved in the election process - the world would be such a better place!

OH MY MOUSES! We DO have it here. Looks like that Gerry guy was out there meandering quite recently, too, as quite a few electorial districts have been 'adjusted' and there are some new ones, too. And STILL we cats are not allowed to vote. MOUSES!

I hope that the election goes well for all of you in Canada! It is important to vote. People these days don't know what it is like to really not have their opinion count. We have the same struggle to get people to vote in the US.

You don't! Ever lucky. Peep #1 was on a tear, Friday afternoon. She tried to vote without her showing her driver's licence. Instead, she tried to use two of the pieces of ID listed as acceptable by Elections Canada. Well let me tell you, the peeps at the polling station wouldn't let her! Even though she met the necessary requirements!!! She was FORCED to show her licence!!! I heard all about it and so did the peeps at Elections Canada. Turns out, Peep #1 was right and the situation is supposed to be sorted. More training required, I suppose. MOUSES!